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Fastnet apologises for Swansea-Cork ferry delays

Mon, Mar 15, 2010, 00:00

OLIVIA KELLEHER

FASTNET LINE has apologised to its customers for inconvenience caused over the weekend following delays and cancellations on its new Swansea-Cork ferry route.

The company cancelled its scheduled sailings over the weekend due to technical difficulties on board the MV Julia.

This followed delays in the ferry service on Friday when the MV Juliadid not leave Swansea until 1am on Saturday, six hours behind schedule. The ship’s departure was delayed because an inner bow door failed to close.

Fastnet Line’s MV Juliaarrived to a rapturous reception in Ringaskiddy Port, Cork, at 10am last Thursday on its inaugural sailing from Swansea.

The maiden sailing came after two postponements over the past fortnight.

The ship then left Cork at 9pm on Thursday, but before it left the harbour it encountered electronic problems in one of its four engines.

As a result, the ship was forced to sail on reduced power, arriving in Swansea six hours overdue at 1pm on Friday.

Fastnet Line apologised for any inconvenience caused to passengers over the weekend. The company said it aimed to create a “flagship service” that would showcase the southwest of Ireland.

“Our core objective in Fastnet Line is to operate a profitable ferry service. We have a clear set of goals over the next two years that we will deliver on. We want to build a top-class team who will make the Cork-Swansea ferry service a reality.”

The service is the first on the route since 2006, when Swansea Cork Ferries terminated its service.

West Cork Tourism began its campaign at the beginning of 2009 to raise funds to get a service back on the route and a co-op was formed with some 300 members, who each contributed €10,000 towards purchasing a ship.